Some sobering stats

On the Bullpen: The O’s have allowed at least one run in the eighth inning or later in 28 of 51 games, with 66 of their 253 runs allowed (26 percent) coming after the seventh. On Sunday, even Will Ohman wasn’t exempt. The lefty surrendered his first earned runs of the year, snapping an American League leading 15 2/3 scoreless innings with a pair of eighth-inning homers in the Orioles 6-1 loss to Toronto.

Granted, those runs weren’t that big of a deal since the Orioles were already behind and showing no signs of rattling Toronto’s Ricky Romero.

But the O’s have allowed the tying or go-ahead run to score in the eighth inning or later 13 times, including in Saturday’s 5-2 loss to the Blue Jays. Giving Ohman a pass (because he’s been far and away their best reliever) the question now is how do you get the ball to him with a lead?

The Orioles hit .207 as a team and were out-scored 16-3, out-homered 9-0 and collected one extra-base hit (Cesar Izturis’ doubled on Saturday). Toronto had more extra-base hits in the first inning of Sunday’s game than the O’s had all series. Yes, the Blue Jays are a homer-happy team and are leading the American League in several offensive categories.

But all three of Toronto’s starters posted quality starts in the series, and the staff as a whole pitched to a 1.00 ERA, with 25 strikeouts against just four walks. Saturday’s starter, Brett Cecil didn’t even have a three-ball count all afternoon.

The Blue Jay starters tossed 8,6, and 9 innings means the bullpen needed to cover just four innings. And it doesn’t hurt that Toronto’s closer, Kevin Gregg, picked up his 13th save on Saturday afternoon, which tied at the time tied the American League lead.

The Orioles have allowed opposing starters to pitch into the sixth inning 36 times in 51 games, 26 of which have lasted into the seventh.

They’ve been outscored by opponents 253-175 this season and have scored three runs in their last 29 innings, dating back to a two-run seventh-inning in Thursday’s 7-5 loss to Oakland.

I know people have called for manager Dave Trembley’s head, but some of the blame has to fall on the players and front office as well. This is a team that has been ravaged by injuries and has been playing baseball with no fundamentals. And the schedule doesn’t get any easier, as the Orioles next nine games are against the Yankees and the Red Sox.

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